INTHECIRCUITCOURTOFTHE15

TH
JUDICIALCIRCUITINANDFORPALM
BEACHCOUNTY.FLORIDA
CASENO.: 50201OCA021246
DIVISION: "AN"
SHAPIRO& FISHMAN,LLP,
Plaintiff.
VS. Co'

TIlESTATEOFFLORIDA,
AITORNEYGHNERAL,
- .....-DERARTMENTOFLEOAL
AFFAIRS.
Defendants.
___.....-__- --.;1
ORDEBONTIlE ATTORNEY

THISCAUSEcamebeforetheCourtuponTheAttorneyGeneral'sMotionforRehearing
bearingCertificateofServicedatedOctoberlIt2010andupontheaccompanyingAffidavitin
SupportoftheRespondenttsMotionfoJ' Rehearingexecuted byKennethL.Mar:vin,Directorof
LawyerRegulationofTheFlorida swornto onOctober7,2010.
In the AttorneyGeneral t sMotionthe StateoffersMr. Marvin 5 Affidavitforthe
followingpropositionasstatedin paragraph2:
"2. Theoriginalaffidavitof KennethL. Marvinreflectstheposition
oftheFloridaBar thatit'sauthorityextendstoindividual attomeys,
notlawfirms,orotherbusinessentities."
Mr.Marvin'saffidavitisconsistentwiththeMotionforRehearingwhereMr.Marvin
statesin paragraphs7 and8asfollows:
"7. FloridaBarinquiriesregardingissuesofallegedmisconductof
attorneysareconductedonlyastoindividualattorneys,notas
to lawfirmsorotherbusinessentitiescomposedof attomeys.
8. The Florida Bar does not conduct inquiries into, or have
any authority over law corporations, professional service
corporations, limited liability companies Or other business entities
composed of attorneys. t,
To accept the State's position, the Court would have to conclude that the Bar has no
ability to enforce rules referring to "law firms" such as Rule 4-1.10 "Imputation of Conflicts of
Interest; General Rule" which specifically prohibits law firms from representing certain clients;
regulation of law firms under Rule 5-1.1 "Trust Accounts;'; and'Rule 4-7.2 uConununications
Coueeming-a Lawyers Services Regu:latins Law Firm Advertising."
The State's argument is not compelling and overlooks the overriding fundamental
Constitutional principle that only the Supreme Court controls the conduct of lawyers in the
courtroom and in court proceedings.
Even if the State's position was well taken that the Florida Bar does not have authority
over law firms, corporations, professional service corporations, limited liability companies, or
other entities composed of attorneys, the Circuit Court clearly does. The jurisdiction ofthe
Circuit Court is concurrent with the jurisdiction of the Florida Bar as previously pointed out in
this Court's original ruling. See Rule 3-3.5 "Circuit Court Jurisdiction." Also see Rule 3..7.8
"Procedw-es Before A Circuit Court.';
The Court is reminded that the Attomey General's Office choose an investigative civil
remedy under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, Florida Statute 501.212. In
its the Court is directed to numerous case citations involving criminal activity and is
specifically directed to Florida, Statute 817.234 which provides that an attorney assisting or
conspiring in insurance fraud is guilty of a felony. The Court is unaware of any ofthe
Petitioners having been charged by the State with a crime or being convicted of a crime. The
State does not even allege that a crime was committed and the State has not sought to use
2
criminalinvestigationtools. IthasattemptedtousetheFloridaDeceptiveandUnfairTrade
PracticesAct,a CivilStatute,inanefforttoobtaininformationrelativeto theactivityof lawyers
andtheir:firmsinlegalproceedingsin statecourtsinvolvingforeclosuresbylendersandthose

ThisCourthaspreviouslyruledthatFDUTPAhas noapplicationtolawyersorlaw firms
byvirtueof theclearseparationofpowersprovidedbytheFloridaConstitution. Andeven
assumingthatbasisisnotsufficient,personsandfirmsactingforandonbehalf of banksand
savingsandloanassociationswhoareeitherregulatedbytheOfficeof FinancialRegulationof
the ServicesCommissionorbyFederalAgenciesarespecificallyexemptedbythe
expresslanguageof FloridaStatute501.212"Application."
No part of this Order prohibits theAttorney General from usingany of itsother
investigativetoolsortoseekalternativereliefavailableto theState. TheStatehasusedthe
wrongtoolandthesubpoenaisquashed,MotionforRehearingis denied.
DONEANDORDEREDinChambersatP
October2010,
Copiesfurnishedto:
GeraldRichman,Esq.,RichmanOreerPAtOneClear!
South,WestPalmBeachFL33401
JuneM. Clarkson,Esq.,Officeof theAttomeyGeneral, 110SE6
dt
Street) 10Floor,Ft
'LauderdaleFL33301
3
Date:
To:
From:
Phone:
Subject:
FaxTransmission
October14,2010
GeraldF.Riehma.,Esq.
Fax: 561-820-1608
TheresaEdwards,Esq.
JuneClarkson,Esq.
Fax: 954-7124658
CarolHall,JudicialAssistant
PalmBeachCountyCourthouse
Division"AN"
561-355-3496
Shapiro&, Fishmanv. TheStateofFlorida
2010CA021246
## ofPages(includingcover): 4
Message: Enclosedpleasefindaconformedcopyof theOrderOnThe
AttomeyGeneral'sMotionForRehearing.
Hardcopiestofol1owviaUSMail.
Thankyou,